Extend patient support beyond your office walls

Welcome to the OPENINGS® Patient Support Program From Novartis

Why a support program

50% dropoff rate
Nearly 50% of patients on IOP-lowering therapy stop
taking their medication within the first 6 months of starting therapy.1

The potential reasons
Patients may become noncompliant because of forgetfulness, lack of symptoms, difficulty applying drops, or the cost of medication.

What’s in the program

Addressing the hurdles
The OPENINGS® Patient Support Program is designed to encourage compliance with:

Educational materials and an interactive website to help improve disease awareness.

Co-pay Savings card for eligible commercially insured patients to pay as little as $30* per product on out-of-pocket Rx costs.

Reminder items such as a dosing calendar.

*Terms and Conditions: Limitations apply. A patient is eligible for this promotion if the commercial health plan co-pay is more than $30 per 30 day supply. For commercially insured patients 16 years or older. Up to a $105 cap per 30 day supply. Patient will be responsible for any co-pay once limit is reached. This offer is not valid under Medicare, Medicaid, or any other federal or state program. Not valid for cash-paying patients. Novartis reserves the right to rescind, revoke, or amend this program without notice. Offer expires 6/30/2018.Click here for full terms and conditions.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

TRAVATAN Z® Solution is indicated for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Dosing and Administration

The recommended dosage is one drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening. TRAVATAN Z® Solution should not be administered more than once daily since it has been shown that more frequent administration of prostaglandin analogs may decrease the IOP lowering effect.

TRAVATAN Z® Solution may be used concomitantly with other topical ophthalmic drug products to lower IOP. If more than one topical ophthalmic drug is being used, the drugs should be administered at least five (5) minutes apart.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Warnings and Precautions

Pigmentation - Travoprost ophthalmic solution has been reported to increase the pigmentation of the iris, periorbital tissue (eyelid) and eyelashes. Pigmentation is expected to increase as long as travoprost is administered. After discontinuation of travoprost, pigmentation of the iris is likely to be permanent, while pigmentation of the periorbital tissue and eyelash changes have been reported to be reversible in some patients. The long term effects of increased pigmentation are not known. While treatment with TRAVATAN Z® Solution can be continued in patients who develop noticeably increased iris pigmentation, these patients should be examined regularly.

Eyelash Changes - TRAVATAN Z® Solution may gradually change eyelashes and vellus hair in the treated eye. These changes include increased length, thickness, and number of lashes. Eyelash changes are usually reversible upon discontinuation of treatment.

Intraocular Inflammation - TRAVATAN Z® Solution should be used with caution in patients with active intraocular inflammation (e.g., uveitis) because the inflammation may be exacerbated.

Macular Edema - Macular edema, including cystoid macular edema, has been reported during treatment with travoprost ophthalmic solution. TRAVATAN Z® Solution should be used with caution in aphakic patients, in pseudophakic patients with a torn posterior lens capsule, or in patients with known risk factors for macular edema.

Angle-closure, Inflammatory or Neovascular Glaucoma - TRAVATAN Z® Solution has not been evaluated for the treatment of angle-closure, inflammatory or neovascular glaucoma.

Bacterial Keratitis - There have been reports of bacterial keratitis associated with the use of multiple-dose containers of topical ophthalmic products. These containers had been inadvertently contaminated by patients who, in most cases, had a concurrent corneal disease or a disruption of the ocular epithelial.

Use with Contact Lenses - Contact lenses should be removed prior to instillation of
TRAVATAN Z® Solution and may be reinserted 15 minutes following its administration.

Adverse Reactions

The most common adverse reaction observed in controlled clinical studies with TRAVATAN Z® Solution was ocular hyperemia which was reported in 30 to 50% of patients. Up to 3% of patients discontinued therapy due to conjunctival hyperemia. Ocular adverse reactions reported at an incidence of 5 to 10% in these clinical studies included decreased visual acuity, eye discomfort, foreign body sensation, pain and pruritus. In postmarketing use with prostaglandin analogs, periorbital and lid changes including deepening of the eyelid sulcus have been observed.

Use in Specific Populations

Use in pediatric patients below the age of 16 years is not recommended because of potential safety concerns related to increased pigmentation following long-term chronic use.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

SIMBRINZA® Suspension is a fixed combination indicated in the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Dosage and Administration

The recommended dose is one drop of SIMBRINZA® Suspension in the affected eye(s) three times daily. Shake well before use. SIMBRINZA® Suspension may be used concomitantly with other topical ophthalmic drug products to lower intraocular pressure. If more than one topical ophthalmic drug is being used, the drugs should be administered at least five (5) minutes apart.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Contraindications

SIMBRINZA® Suspension is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to any component of this product and neonates and infants under the age of 2 years.

Warnings and Precautions

Sulfonamide Hypersensitivity Reactions—Brinzolamide is a sulfonamide, and although administered topically, is absorbed systemically. Sulfonamide attributable adverse reactions may occur. Fatalities have occurred due to severe reactions to sulfonamides. Sensitization may recur when a sulfonamide is readministered irrespective of the route of administration. If signs of serious reactions or hypersensitivity occur, discontinue the use of this preparation.

Contact Lens Wear—The preservative in SIMBRINZA® Suspension, benzalkonium chloride, may be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Contact lenses should be removed during instillation of SIMBRINZA® Suspension but may be reinserted 15 minutes after instillation.

Severe Cardiovascular Disease—Brimonidine tartrate, a component of SIMBRINZA® Suspension, had a less than 5% mean decrease in blood pressure 2 hours after dosing in clinical studies; caution should be exercised in treating patients with severe cardiovascular disease.

Potentiation of Vascular Insufficiency—Brimonidine tartrate, a component of SIMBRINZA® Suspension, may potentiate syndromes associated with vascular insufficiency. It should be used with caution in patients with depression, cerebral or coronary insufficiency, Raynaud’s phenomenon, orthostatic hypotension, or thromboangiitis obliterans.

Contamination of Topical Ophthalmic Products After Use—There have been reports of bacterial keratitis associated with the use of multiple-dose containers of topical ophthalmic products. These containers have been inadvertently contaminated by patients who, in most cases, had a concurrent corneal disease or a disruption of the ocular epithelial surface.

Adverse Reactions

SIMBRINZA® Suspension

In two clinical trials of 3 months’ duration with SIMBRINZA® Suspension, the most frequent reactions associated with its use occurring in approximately 3-5% of patients in descending order of incidence included: blurred vision, eye irritation, dysgeusia (bad taste), dry mouth, and eye allergy. Adverse reaction rates with SIMBRINZA® Suspension were comparable to those of the individual components. Treatment discontinuation, mainly due to adverse reactions, was reported in 11% of SIMBRINZA® Suspension patients.

Drug Interactions—Consider the following when prescribing SIMBRINZA® Suspension:

Concomitant administration with oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors is not recommended due to the potential additive effect. Use with high-dose salicylate may result in acid-base and electrolyte alterations. Use with CNS depressants may result in an additive or potentiating effect. Use with antihypertensives/cardiac glycosides may result in additive or potentiating effect on lowering blood pressure. Use with tricyclic antidepressants may blunt the hypotensive effect of systemic clonidine and it is unknown if use with this class of drugs interferes with IOP lowering. Use with monoamine oxidase inhibitors may result in increased hypotension.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

AZOPT® Suspension is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (CAI) indicated in the treatment of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma.

Dosage and Administration

The recommended dose is one drop of AZOPT® Suspension in the affected eye(s) three times daily. If more than one topical ophthalmic drug is being used, the drugs should be administered at least ten (10) minutes apart.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Contraindications

AZOPT® Suspension is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to any component of this product.

Warnings and Precautions

Sulfonamide Hypersensitivity Reactions - AZOPT® Suspension is a sulfonamide and although administered topically it is absorbed systemically. The same types of adverse reactions that are attributable to sulfonamides may occur with topical administration of AZOPT® Suspension. Fatalities have occurred, although rarely, due to severe reactions to sulfonamides. Sensitization may recur when a sulfonamide is re-administered irrespective of the route of administration. If signs of serious reactions or hypersensitivity occur, discontinue the use.

Corneal Endothelium - Carbonic anhydrase activity has been observed in both the cytoplasm and around the plasma membranes of the corneal endothelium. There is an increased potential for developing corneal edema in patients with low endothelial cell counts. Caution should be used when prescribing AZOPT® Suspension to this group of patients.

Severe Renal Impairment - AZOPT® Suspension has not been studied in patients with severe renal impairment (CrCl ≥ 30 mL/min). Because AZOPT® Suspension and its metabolite are excreted predominantly by the kidney, AZOPT® Suspension is not recommended in such patients.

Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma - The management of patients with acute angle-closure glaucoma requires therapeutic interventions in addition to ocular hypotensive agents. AZOPT® Suspension has not been studied in patients with acute angle-closure glaucoma.

Contact Lens Wear - The preservative in AZOPT® Suspension, benzalkonium chloride, may be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Contact lenses should be removed during instillation, but may be reinserted 15 minutes after instillation.

Drug Interactions

Oral Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors - There is a potential for an additive effect on the known systemic effects of carbonic anhydrase inhibition in patients receiving an oral CAI and AZOPT® Suspension. The concomitant administration of AZOPT® Suspension and oral CAIs is not recommended.

High-Dose Salicylate Therapy - In patients treated with oral CAIs, rare instances of acidbase alterations have occurred with high-dose salicylate therapy. Therefore, the potential for such drug interactions should be considered in patients receiving AZOPT® Suspension.